The Boulder Film Festival, which runs from March 5th to the 8th, is a unique film festival for the Rocky Mountain region. March is a good time to catch up on movies playing the festival circuit because of the lack of quality programming especially after the Academy Awards.

Speaking of awards season, last year Oscar nominated movies Ida and Finding Vivian Maier played during last year’s Boulder Film Festival so there is a chance to catch tomorrow’s awards buzz films this weekend before they even open in theaters!

BIFF, as it is known, offers the best of smaller movies that screened at other Colorado film festivals, highlights local filmmakers, screens hard to find niche films, little award nominated features, and showcases hot Sundance titles before they travel across the festival circuit. Here are some notable highlights:

Opening Night is the Ultimate Throw Back Thursday
Magnolia Films The Wrecking Crew is a documentary about Wrecking Crew recordings which won multiple Grammys which featured everyone in the music industry from Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra to The Monkees, The Byrds and The Beach Boys. This seems like the perfect opening night film for Boulder. As the program states, this was “One of the largest Kickstarter campaigns in history helped to finally advance the commercial release of this film, which had been delayed for years because of music rights.” With the studio waiting years to release this music documentary, make sure to see this one! It sounds like it will be worth wait.

*Thursday, March 5th at the Boulder Theater at 8:00pm. The Opening Night Red Carpet Gala is at 5:30pm at two locations: Hotel Boulderado Ballroom (2115 13th St.) and Rembrandt Yard Event Center & Art Gallery (1301 Spruce St).

A Tribute to Oscar Winning Actor Alan Arkin
Every year, Boulder brings a talented and accomplished actor with decades of experience and accolades. This year is no exception. BIFF 2015 is featuring Alan Arkin who has starred in a wide variety of eclectic movies arranging from Wait Until Dark, The In-Laws, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Catch-22, Edward Scissorhands, Grosse Point Blank, Glengarry Glen Ross, Little Miss Sunshine and Grudge Match. Make sure to purchase tickets ahead of time. I expect this one to sell out.

*Saturday, March 7th 7:30pm, Boulder Theater $25, Free for Passholders

Sundance Titles On the Festival Circuit
BIFF is an unexpected oasis tucked away in the mountains between the Sundance and SXSW film festivals. If you are paying attention to the festival circuit, some little gems screen here every year. The must see movies include Welcome to Leith about a white supremacist trying to take over a small town in North Dakota which has earned rave reviews to the doc The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution about the 1970’s political movement. My most anticipated Sundance documentary DRUNK STONED BRILLIANT DEAD: The Story of the National Lampoon is playing here which I predicted would screen at this festival.

*Check the program for dates, showtimes, and venues.

Showcasing Local, Oscar Winning Filmmakers
Daniel Junge (the Oscar winner director of Saving Face) brings Being Evel about legendary stuntman Evel Knievel to Boulder Theater for a Sunday matinee. From Legos to MMA fighting pastors, he brings to life an eclectic mix of subject matter to the forefront of the film-making community. He isn’t your typical documentary filmmaker. Also in attendance is the latest from Oscar winning director of The Cove Louie Psihoyos who focusing on ecological disasters with Racing Extinction which is the Closing Night movie on Sunday. Both these movies world premiered at the Sundance film festival last month and would be ideal event for Colorado cinephiles.

*Check the program for dates, showtimes, and venues.

Offbeat and Obscure Movies like Song of the Forrest!
A real treat I watched at SXSW film festival last year that I thought would never been seen again was Song of the Forrest! This is your chance, Colorado! As the synopsis states, in 1985, Louis Sarno purchased a one-way ticket to the Central African Republic to live in the rainforest among tribal people. This chronicles his life which contrasts with the seclusion of the woods and the busy big city. Watching the young teen from the Central African Republic encounter the West was incredible footage captured on film. This highly recommend introspective documentary is a fascinating, surreal, & poetic journey about how humanity has trailed off the beaten path! Watching this in a church would be an immaculate experience.

*Screening on Saturday, March 7th at First Presbyterian Church at 9:30pm!

CineCHEF Event Promises to Satisfy Your Food Craving

A “movie themed chef competition” is taking place during the festival in downtown Boulder. As stated in the press release, “The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) presents a new culinary experience that will showcase Boulder’s nationally recognized chefs. CineCHEF is a signature event that challenge’s the town’s favorite chefs to choose a movie theme and create film-inspired dished for a fun and friendly competition.” This includes a few of Boulder’s top chefs with specialty drinks and food.

*Friday, March 6, 2015 from 5-7pm at Rembrandt Yard Tickets are $90 and is a fundraiser for the festival.

About Boulder International Film Festival

The Boulder International Film Festival brings films and filmmakers from around the world to Boulder for a four-day celebration of the art of cinema. The Festival attracts more than 25,000 film enthusiasts, media and industry each year and will take place from March 5-8, 2015. For tickets and more information http://www.biff1.com.